


How Could This Happen?

by phasha18



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Beacon Hills Hospital (Teen Wolf), Derek Hale Has Nightmares, Derek Hale has Cancer, Derek Hale is a Softie, F/M, Family Secrets, I'm Bad At Summaries, M/M, Melissa McCall Knows, Mentioned Talia Hale - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Braeden/Derek Hale, Secrets, Sick Derek Hale
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:14:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25760413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phasha18/pseuds/phasha18
Summary: Derek starts developing various symptoms that something is wrong seven months before he returns to Beacon Hills with Kat McCall.  Derek's scared, can you blame him?What happens when a werewolf gets cancer?~*~“I can't do anything about it...and that makes me feel...” Derek said, glancing at Kat before he closed his eyes and felt her kiss him on the forehead.
Relationships: Chris Argent/Melissa McCall, Derek Hale/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	1. Tired

**Disclaimer:** _I don't own any of the characters from Teen Wolf they belong to their creator. I own Katherine 'Kat' McCall and anything/anyone else you don't recognise._

_**Note** \- story is set sometime in 2014_

**How Could This Happen?**

  
**Chapter 01:** _Tired_  
Derek lay on his side on the couch of his former girlfriend Braeden's house while he watched her talking with Katherine 'Kat' McCall, his high school girlfriend and current girlfriend. Braeden and Kat had become friends somewhere along the line, which was how they were staying with her before returning to Beacon Hills. Kat kept looking towards Derek before he was rolling over to avoid looking at her. 

“Derek, are you going to lay there all morning?” Kat asked as Braeden headed into the kitchen to make them all coffee. 

“Hrmphf,” Derek mumbled, as he sat up and made room for Kat on the lounge. 

“Der?” Kat questioned sitting down next to him before he was putting his head on her shoulder and leaning against her. “Derek?” 

“I'm okay...” Derek muttered, his head still resting against Kat as he glanced at her while listening to Braeden in the kitchen. 

“You've been my best-friend for twelve years Derek Hale. I know you,” Kat said, moving Derek's head so that she could see his face. “Tell me,” Derek shook his head as he looked at his best-friend and girlfriend. “You haven't exercised nearly as much,”

“I'm just tired,” Derek muttered, Kat rolled her eyes at him before she kissed his nose. 

“Derek,” Kat sighed, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him closer before she noticed that she could feel his ribs more.

“I don't know, okay?” Derek admitted, as Braeden walked into the living room and set the coffees on the table before joining them.

“She's right you know,” Braeden said, sitting down and then handing Derek a cup of coffee. “Something isn't right,”

Braeden and Kat looked at Derek watching his every action, wondering exactly what was wrong with him. Derek looked at the two women, he didn't know why he'd been so tired or why he hadn't kept weight on. Kat had noticed small things over the past eight months, him sleeping seventy-five percent of the time, not working out and waking up with the bed drenched in sweat. 

“Mom's made you an appointment when we get home,” Kat said, her arm still around Derek as she picked up her own cup and had a drink. 

“You'll call me if anything is wrong, right?” Braeden questioned, looking between them as she leant back still watching Derek. 

“Of course,” Kat nodded, Derek shrugged he didn't know if he wanted anyone to know if he was sick or not. Werewolves weren't meant to get sick. 

“I don't know if I want anyone knowing if something is,” Derek told them before he was drinking some of the coffee and yawning. 

“Just don't fall asleep until we're back in the car,” Kat said, they were leaving after lunch if they wanted to get back to Beacon Hills before dark. 

“So you may not tell me straight away, just like you didn't when you lost your wolf?” Braeden questioned, Derek nodded he hadn't told her about losing his wolf because he'd been scared and that wasn't something he wanted to admit. 

Derek glared at Braeden, before he was yawning again and having more coffee as Kat dug around in her bag for Advil that she knew she had in there. Braeden shook her head and laughed, as she set her cup down again and put her feet up on the coffee table. Kat grinned triumphantly as she fished out the Advil and held it out for Derek. Derek taking the Advil was one of the first signs that Kat had noticed that something was wrong as he never took anything. 

Three hours later, Derek and Kat were on their way back to Beacon Hills with Kat saying that she would call when she could. Derek fell asleep halfway home, leaving Kat talking to herself half the time and Isaac on the hands free. Derek half listened to Kat talking to Isaac, but he was more focused on sleeping than anything else. Isaac promised that he wouldn't tell anyone that Derek and Kat were finally on their way home. 

“Der, Isaac told me Scott's away visiting Stiles for the week so he won't know,” Kat said as Derek slowly opened his eyes as they approached the 'Welcome to Beacon Hills' sign. 

“You sure?” Derek questioned, Kat nodded wondering why Derek hadn't listened to her heartbeat like he normally did. 

“I am, Isaac hasn't lied to us once in the twelve months he's been with us,” Kat told him, as they passed the sign and he closed his eyes again. “Derek, promise me that you'll tell them everything...well not everything,”

“You mean everything except for this,” Derek said as he flung his claws out and flashed his eyes blue at her, though it didn't last long at all. 

“Yes that,” Kat laughed, as she continued to drive, Derek had only driven for a total of six hours on the way from Jacksonville, Florida back to California. 

“You'll stop me if I do, right?” Derek questioned, looking to her as they drove past the preserve and past the loft heading for her mother's house. 

Kat drove into her mother's street and straight to her house as it was nearing 8PM and she didn't feel like trying to get Derek up a million sets of stairs into the loft. When they pulled up at the house, Melissa and Isaac were sitting on the porch talking to Chris Argent. Kat swore silently to herself, forgetting that her mother had been dating him for the past two years. Isaac looked up as Kat switched the car off and climbed out, Derek took his time even though he'd slept for the past five hours he was still tired. 

“Hey mom,” Kat smiled before she found Isaac's arms wrapped firmly around her. “Hey Isaac,” Kat said before she looked up at Chris and spoke again. “Chris,” 

“How is he?” Isaac asked, as stepping away as he glanced in the car to see Derek yawning and moving slowly. 

“Tired, frustrated more than usual,” Kat answered, as she pulled open Derek's door so that he'd get a move on. “Come on Der, inside and you can do whatever,”

“Melissa, I'll see you tomorrow night,” Chris said to her as he walked down the front steps towards them before going to his truck. “Kat, Derek,” 

“Argent,” Derek yawned again as he climbed out before leaning against the SUV. 

“Here, let me help you inside,” Isaac spoke quietly to Derek who nodded, realising that Isaac had picked up on the pain emanating from his back. 

Isaac helped Derek into the house and straight onto the couch before he was joining the older man. Derek smiled sleepily at him before he was closing his eyes again, Isaac put his hand on Derek's arm before the veins in his arm pulsed black. Kat and Melissa grabbed the bags from the back seat and carried them inside before they were joining Derek and Isaac in the lounge. 

“I didn't think werewolves could get sick?” Isaac questioned, looking between Derek and Kat as he spoke, Melissa looked at the two of them before she spoke.

“Generally speaking they shouldn't be able to, but who knows with everything that's happened in Beacon Hills in recent years,” Melissa said, surprising Isaac who looked at her as Derek nodded, his eyes still closed. “We don't know that he's actually sick yet,” 

“But, it's looking like he is,” Kat said, looking to her mother and then at Derek. “With everything I told you, and the fact that you made him an appointment,” 

“I'm fine,” Derek grumbled, Kat and Melissa exchanged a look before they both rolled their eyes. 

“Mom, are you sure that Scott's visiting Stiles for the full week?” Kat asked, Melissa nodded she was indeed sure that her son was visiting his best-friend. 

“Melissa...how do you know so much about us?” Isaac asked curiously, he'd been wondering that since he was a teenager.

“Derek and Kat here have been best-friends since they were fourteen turning fifteen, but have known each other since they were little,” Melissa answered, pausing before she continued this was a story she hadn't even told Scott as he'd never bothered to ask. “Derek's mother Talia was one of my good friends,”

Isaac blinked and looked at Melissa and then at Kat wondering how long they were going to keep it secret from Scott. Derek stated snoring lightly before he was leaning against Isaac and his head was on the younger man's shoulder. Kat smiled at him before Melissa continued the story of how long the two of them had been friends. 

“Scott doesn't remember, but he was at the Hales funeral,” Melissa said before she looked at Kat and raised her eyebrow at her. “How much sleeping has Derek been doing?”

“A lot, but it's more restless than anything else,” Kat answered, before she was gently tapping Derek on the shoulder to get him to wake up and actually go to bed. “Der, wake up and go to my old room,” 

“Don't want to,” Derek grumbled sleepily as he opened one eye and looked at Kat who glared at him. “Kat,” he pouted, causing her to roll her eyes and stand up pulling him up with her. 

“Come on then,” 


	2. Afraid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek and Kat head to the hospital for Derek to undergo a series of tests. 
> 
> Derek meets Theo officially for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you like the story. If you have any questions just ask :)

**Chapter 02:** _Afraid_

  
Derek and Kat retreated to her old room, while Isaac took up sleeping in Scott's room. Derek tossed and turned the majority of the night, not being able to get comfortable and being nervous about the appointment that Melissa had booked him for 9AM the next morning. Kat woke up early and sat up reading and watching as Derek continued to toss and turn before waking up drenched in sweat again. 

“Der, relax,” Kat spoke quietly as she ran a hand through his hair. “Don't worry about the bed, I'll deal with it later,” 

“You know, I've never actually been in a hospital for me...” Derek said in a whisper as he pushed himself to sit up and leant back against the headboard.

“I know, and you can be scared, you can be terrified. It's okay to be all that,” Kat told him as he leant over and kissed her before pulling her into his arms and hugging her tightly. “You're not alone,”

“It's just, what if it's something bad?” Derek questioned, he wanted answers and he was starting to wonder if his wolf healing had disappeared.

“We'll get through it together,” Kat yawned before she kissed him and leant into his arms. “You'll get your answers,”

“I'm not sure that I want answers,” Derek admitted, looking at her and yawning as he ran a hand through his hair and moved to get out of bed. “Shower with me?”

“Seriously? You want to shower together in my mother's house?” Kat raised her eyebrow as she looked at him, watching as he stood up. “Just go shower,”

Derek smirked at Kat and grabbed her hand before he was dragging her to the bathroom with him. Kat sighed before she stopped and grabbed towels from the linen closet. Derek stumbled before he was catching the wall to stop from falling flat on his face. Kat spun around as Isaac walked from Scott's room and grabbed Derek's arm. Kat smiled at Isaac and yawned again as Derek used both the wall and Isaac to stop from falling. 

Two hours later, Derek and Kat were sitting in the waiting room of the hospital outside of Doctor Geyer's office. Melissa had made the appointment with him as he'd been told about the supernatural, but also because of the number of things he knew about medicine. Kat put her head on Derek's shoulder and grabbed his hand as they sat and waited. A few minutes later Derek was called into Doctor David Geyer's office, so he and Kat went in. David went through Derek's medical history with him, to which there wasn't much to say due to his werewolf physicality. 

“Doctor Geyer, what do you want him to do?” Kat asked, as she watched Derek filling out more forms than he already had. 

“There's a number of things that we need to go through from the symptoms that your mother told me about,” David said as he looked to Kat and then Derek. Derek raised his eyebrow at the older man before finishing filling out the forms. 

“What sort of things?” Derek questioned, before setting the forms on David's desk. 

“MRI, CT Scan, biopsy,” David answered before he was being taken to get both the MRI and CT Scans done.

“Kat?” Derek questioned, as Kat followed behind them, knowing a little about the MRI and CT scan that had to be done. 

“I'm still here, Derek. I told you I wasn't going anywhere,” Kat said as they stopped outside of the Radiology department where another doctor took them in and had Derek change into the hospital gown before taking him in to get both scans done. 

Three hours later, Derek was in another exam room having a biopsy taken from one of lymph nodes. Derek watched as David took samples from his lymph nodes before they were stitched up and had gauze over them. Kat was in the room the entire time as Derek looked like he was going to pass out. 

“Derek, you're supposed to be this big strong werewolf,” Kat muttered as she approached Derek, after David had finished with him. 

“Fuck off Kat,” Derek grumbled, Kat just rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around him. 

“We'll have the results in two or three days, and we'll call you as soon as we do,” David said as he turned back around to Derek and Kat. “The results will determine the next course of action,” 

“Thank you,” Derek nodded, before David allowed him to dress again and sent the two of them on their way. 

“Derek, take the next few days easy,” David told him as he stood in the door of his office and nodded to Melissa who was approaching them. 

“He will,” Kat said as Derek pulled his sweater on over his head before he and Kat left and headed back to the McCall's. 

Isaac had spent the day with Theo, after Lydia had introduced them. Theo found Isaac intriguing wondering why it had taken him so long to return to Beacon Hills. Isaac and Theo were sitting on the front steps of the McCall house when Derek and Kat pulled up, all Derek wanted to do was sit down and watch a movie with Kat and Isaac. Kat and Derek looked at one another, with Derek not wanting to get out of the car before Kat was pulling him out. 

“You haven't tried to kill my little brother recently, have you kiddo?” Kat questioned, looking at Theo as she spoke. 

“Kat?” Theo raised his eyebrow; he hadn't seen her since he was a kid. 

“The one and only,” Kat smiled at him, she had liked Theo when he was a kid and knew everything that had happened. The perks of having Stiles being your little brother's best-friend. “Derek, meet Theo,”

“That's the kid Stiles was telling us about?” Derek questioned, straightening up as he closed the door of the car and Kat nodded. 

“Yeah, that's Theo,” Kat said, running a hand through her hair before taking hold of Derek's hand. “Mom's at work, we're going to lounge around the rest of the afternoon and watch a movie,” 

“I've gotta go to work, it was nice meeting you Isaac,” Theo said, Isaac smiled at him before he was watching him walk to his truck and climbing in. 

Kat and Derek looked at each other before they walked up the steps and Kat was unlocking the front door and the three of them went inside. Derek headed straight for the sofa while Isaac followed Kat into the kitchen to make popcorn and hot chocolate. Kat made the hot chocolate while Isaac made the popcorn and listened to Derek in the lounge.

“Lydia's doing?” Kat questioned, referring to the fact that Isaac had spent the day with Theo. 

“Yeah, she thought that we needed to be introduced,” Isaac answered, leaning against the counter as he looked at the older girl. “Did he really try and kill Scott?”

“He didn't try, he succeeded. Scott was clinically dead for I think mom said 15 minutes,” Kat told him, Isaac gasped as Scott had neglected to tell him that the last time he'd spoken to him. “I thought Scott told you?”

“No, he neglected to tell me that,” Isaac said, pausing as he looked at Kat and then into the lounge where Derek was sitting. “How was this morning?”

“Do you mean how was Derek? A grumpy ass, they did a biopsy and ran a couple of scans. We'll know in a few days what's wrong with him,” Kat answered, she had an idea of what was wrong, so did her mother but they didn't want to say anything. 

“You know something, what is it?” Isaac asked, Kat glanced into Derek and then quickly grabbed Isaac's arm and dragged him out the back. 

“I can't say anything. Not until we know for sure, Isaac just promise me you'll be there for him too,” Kat said before Isaac was wrapping the older girl in a hug and looking inside. 

“I will be, are you going to tell Scott?” Isaac questioned, Kat shook her head, she knew that Derek didn't want anyone knowing. “He won't be happy,”

“I know, he'll be pissed but he's not exactly always forthcoming either,” Kat said before they went back inside and finished the popcorn and hot chocolate and joined Derek in the lounge. 

Derek, Kat and Isaac spent the afternoon watching movies before they ordered pizza for dinner. Seconds after the pizza arrived, Melissa walked in the front door and collapsed on the sofa beside Kat. Kat instantly wrapped her arms around her mother, Melissa kissed the side of Kat's head before grabbing a slice of pizza. Isaac grabbed a slice for himself before he handed one to Derek. Kat grabbed a slice and leant back putting her head against Derek's. 

The next morning, after breakfast Isaac and Derek walked and jogged to the preserve. Derek wanted to at least attempt to go for a run no matter how fatigued he was feeling. Isaac made sure that he had his phone and that they both had water bottles as Derek had been forgetting things.

“Derek, are you sure that you want to do this?” Isaac asked as they paused at the entrance to the preserve. 

“I am,” Derek nodded, as he sat down on one of the chain link fences. “Just give me a few minutes before we start,” 

“Here, have some water before start,” Isaac said as he extended one of the water bottles which Derek gratefully took before Isaac was taking a swig from his. “When was the last time you ran?”

“Honestly have no idea, I haven't done much without getting tired,” Derek admitted, he knew that Kat knew but Isaac hadn't been with them for at least two months as he'd been with Cora. “And just walking here's made me tired,”

“We can sit down for a few before we start,” Isaac told him, Derek nodded leaning against the chain-link fence and taking a deep breath. “It's a five mile walk and it took us an hour to walk here we can wait,” 

“If something is wrong, you won't say anything to Scott will you?” Derek questioned, he wanted to know that Isaac wasn't going to reveal anything to Scott when he found out was happening to his body.

Isaac told Derek that he wouldn't betray the older man's confidence in him after everything that he'd been through. For one, Scott wasn't always forthcoming with his own information that was something that both Derek and Scott had in common. Isaac and Derek sat on the chain-link fence for a few more minutes before they started to head further into the preserve before running. Derek and Isaac ran through the preserve for roughly an hour before they were back to where they started. 

“Derek?” Isaac questioned, as they stopped running at the edge of the preserve and Derek was leaning against one of the trees. “You okay?”

“Yeah...no, I don't think I can make it back,” Derek said breathing heavily as he took a drink of water and slid down the tree and leant against it more closing his eyes. 

“Kat was doing something with Melissa...I can call...Theo?” Isaac said, he didn't want to mention that Theo had been messaging him during the night while he was working. 

“How much does he know?” Derek questioned, alluding to the fact that he knew nothing about him.

“I don't know, Lydia said he was created not bitten,” Isaac said, he remembered that from the day that Lydia had found out that Isaac was heading back to Beacon Hills. “He, Scott and Stiles apparently used to be friends when they were kids...like you, Cam and Kat,” 

“Right...whatever, just call someone,” Derek muttered, not opening his eyes as he continued to lean against the tree. 

“We didn't have to do this you know?” Isaac said, Derek let out a sigh he wanted to run and do everything he did before he started feeling tired all the time. “Fine, I get it. I'll call him,”

Isaac called Theo and asked him to pick them up from the preserve and that he'd explain what he could when they saw him. Derek listened to Isaac talking and tried to listen to Theo's side of the conversation but found he couldn't concentrate and was quickly falling asleep. Isaac quickly sat down beside Derek catching his head and preventing it from whacking against his knees. 

“Theo'll be here in five minutes, he was just leaving the gym,” Isaac said as he moved Derek's head to his shoulder. 

“'m good,” Derek mumbled, Isaac raised his eyebrow wondering if Derek had understood what he'd said. 

“Derek?” Isaac questioned, watching as the older man opened one eye and looked at him. “I said he'll be here in five,” 

“Oh...so my answer was the wrong one,” Derek laughed, he knew he was tired but he didn't think he was that tired that he'd misheard Isaac completely. 

“Just a bit, but I got what you meant,” Isaac nodded, Kat was always saying something weird when she was tired. 

“Kat?” Derek questioned, Isaac nodded as he heard Theo's truck heading towards them. 

“Well he wasn't lying when he said five,” Isaac said before he was standing up and offering a hand to Derek who shook his head before he was standing up slowly. 

Theo parked his truck at the edge of the preserve, switching it off and getting out. He couldn't see Isaac from where he'd parked so he started to head in to see if he could find them. Derek and Isaac were half way down the track back to the parking area when Theo found them. The three walked back to Theo's truck where Derek climbed in the back and Isaac and Theo got in front. Theo didn't question why they needed him to pick them up, he was just happy to see Isaac again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be more on who Kat is as the story goes on.


	3. Powerless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek receives the test results and subsequently freaks out. A freak out well warranted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading.
> 
> Hope you're liking the story so far.

**Chapter 03:** _Powerless_

  
Two days later it was Thursday morning, Derek and Kat were laying in Kat's room talking quietly when Derek's phone with the number for the hospital flashing on the screen. Kat was the one to pick up the phone as she recognised the number before she handed it to Derek. Derek looked at Kat and then phone in his hand before he was answering it. 

"Derek speaking," Derek answered his phone, glancing at the clock on the wall and noting that it was just after 9:30.

"Derek, it's Doctor Geyer. I'd like you to come into the hospital this afternoon at three," David said as he looked at the test results he'd received for Derek. 

“Is it...bad?” Derek questioned before Kat took his phone it slipped out of his hand as he started breathing heavily as Kat put the phone up to her ear.

“Doctor Geyer it's Kat,” Kat said, squeezing Derek's hand to reassure him that he was okay. “Derek's just having a little panic attack,”

“Kat, would you be able to get Derek to the hospital this afternoon for three? After you calm him of course,” David told her, Kat looked at Derek before she was kissing him on the forehead and hanging up with David. 

“Derek, breathe,” Kat said setting his phone down on the bedside table as she put her hand to his chest. “You need to breathe,”

Derek glared at Kat before he was pulling her closer to him and putting his head on her shoulder. Kat sighed, before she was kissing him on the forehead again as he closed his eyes. Derek didn't want to go to the hospital, even though it would tell him what was wrong with his body. Melissa was at work, and Isaac was spending another day with Theo before Theo worked in the afternoon. 

“You don't have to be there until three and I'll be with you the whole time,” Kat told him, as he pulled her closer again, before he was getting uncomfortable. “Der?”

“It's nothing, just I can't focus on anything,” Derek admitted, opening his eyes as he looked at Kat and then away from her. “The other day when you were talking to Isaac, I tried listening but I couldn't concentrate,” 

“With everything going on, I honestly don't blame you,” Kat told him, kissing him again as they continued to lay in the bed. “We'll hang here until we have to get ready to go,”

“No, I want to do something. I don't know what though,” Derek yawned sitting up before falling back on to the bed again. 

“Go have a shower and dress,” Kat smiled at him before she was getting up and pulling him to his feet. “I'll put coffee in some travel mugs,” 

Derek headed to the bathroom before he was showering and getting dressed, the shower waking him up with Kat flushed the toilet on him sending him a burst of hot water. Derek scowled at Kat when he got out, an hour later and he was still red from the shower. Kat knew that something wasn't right and she knew that Isaac knew something that he wasn't saying. Derek and Kat spent the day in the preserve at the old Hale House, he wanted to buy the land back off the county and rebuild it with Kat, Peter, Isaac and Cora. 

Derek and Kat arrived at Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital at 2:55PM where Derek then sat nervously in the waiting room for David. Kat squeezed Derek's hand tightly as her mother joined them, she'd promised to be there. Melissa sat down beside Derek and gave him a smile before she looked at Kat and then towards the door of David's office. 

“Derek, would you like me to come in with you and Kat or wait here?” Melissa asked quietly as Derek looked at her while gripping Kat's hand tighter. “Derek?”

“Sorry...” Derek shook his head pausing before he spoke again. “Could you? I mean you've been like a second mom since I was a kid,”

“Of course sweetheart,” Melissa smiled at him, as David walked out of his office and called him into the office. 

Kat, Derek and Melissa stood up and followed David into the office. David motioned for them to take a seat as he closed the door behind them. Derek sat down and pulled Kat down beside him while Melissa took one of the seats from the wall. David took a seat at his desk and opened up the file on his desk with Derek's name on the front. 

“Derek, Kat, Melissa take a seat,” David said, though they were already sitting down. “We've gotten your test results back,”

“Doctor Geyer, what were they?” Derek questioned nervously as they watched him look over the papers before he pulled out the one he wanted. 

“Derek, the test results have come back and you have cancer, Hodgkin Lymphoma stage two,” David said as Kat took Derek's hand squeezed it, Derek shook his head he didn't want to believe what he'd just heard. “Now, it is treatable, and we'd like to begin treatment as soon as possible,” 

“Derek?” Kat looked to Derek as he let go of her hand and stood up. “Der, sit down just wait until Doctor Geyer tells you about the treatments,” Kat grabbed Derek's hand and pulled him down into the seat again as Melissa scooted her chair closer and took his hand.

“Derek, breathe,” Kat said, setting his phone down on the bedside table as she put her hand to his chest. “You need to breathe,”

Derek glared at Kat before he was pulling her closer to him and putting his head on her shoulder. Kat sighed, before she was kissing him on the forehead again as he closed his eyes. Derek didn't want to go to the hospital, even though it would tell him what was wrong with his body. Melissa was at work, and Isaac was spending another day with Theo before Theo worked in the afternoon. 

“You don't have to be there until three and I'll be with you the whole time,” Kat told him, as he pulled her closer again, before he was getting uncomfortable. “Der?”

“It's nothing, just I can't focus on anything,” Derek admitted, opening his eyes as he looked at Kat and then away from her. “The other day when you were talking to Isaac, I tried listening but I couldn't concentrate,” 

“With everything going on, I honestly don't blame you,” Kat told him, kissing him again as they continued to lay in the bed. “We'll hang here until we have to get ready to go,”

“No, I want to do something. I don't know what though,” Derek yawned sitting up before falling back on to the bed again. 

“Go have a shower and dress,” Kat smiled at him before she was getting up and pulling him to his feet. “I'll put coffee in some travel mugs,” 

Derek headed to the bathroom before he was showering and getting dressed, the shower waking him up with Kat flushed the toilet on him sending him a burst of hot water. Derek scowled at Kat when he got out, an hour later and he was still red from the shower. Kat knew that something wasn't right and she knew that Isaac knew something that he wasn't saying. Derek and Kat spent the day in the preserve at the old Hale House, he wanted to buy the land back off the county and rebuild it with Kat, Peter, Isaac and Cora. 

Derek and Kat arrived at Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital at 2:55PM where Derek then sat nervously in the waiting room for David. Kat squeezed Derek's hand tightly as her mother joined them, she'd promised to be there. Melissa sat down beside Derek and gave him a smile before she looked at Kat and then towards the door of David's office. 

“Derek, would you like me to come in with you and Kat or wait here?” Melissa asked quietly as Derek looked at her while gripping Kat's hand tighter. “Derek?”

“Sorry...” Derek shook his head pausing before he spoke again. “Could you? I mean you've been like a second mom since I was a kid,”

“Of course sweetheart,” Melissa smiled at him, as David walked out of his office and called him into the office. 

Kat, Derek and Melissa stood up and followed David into the office. David motioned for them to take a seat as he closed the door behind them. Derek sat down and pulled Kat down beside him while Melissa took one of the seats from the wall. David took a seat at his desk and opened up the file on his desk with Derek's name on the front. 

“Derek, Kat, Melissa take a seat,” David said, though they were already sitting down. “We've gotten your test results back,”

“Doctor Geyer, what were they?” Derek questioned nervously as they watched him look over the papers before he pulled out the one he wanted. 

“Derek, the test results have come back and you have cancer, Hodgkin Lymphoma stage two,” David said as Kat took Derek's hand squeezed it, Derek shook his head he didn't want to believe what he'd just heard. “Now, it is treatable, and we'd like to begin treatment as soon as possible,” 

“Derek?” Kat looked to Derek as he let go of her hand and stood up. “Der, sit down just wait until Doctor tells you about the treatments,” Kat grabbed Derek's hand and pulled him down into the seat again as Melissa scooted her chair closer and took his hand.

“Derek, breathe,” Melissa said quietly before David went through the available treatments with him.

Before the hour was up another doctor had joined them in David's office and explained everything to Derek and handed Kat brochures as Derek had tuned out. Melissa stayed the entire time, before they were walking from the office and Derek took off running. Melissa looked at Kat, wondering if she was going to chase after him, Kat shook her head as she knew exactly where Derek was headed. Derek ran to the preserve, and straight to where he used to hide as a kid when he got hurt. 

Kat and Melissa headed back home to where Kat put the brochures to go through with Derek. Melissa wasn't entirely sure that her daughter knew what she was doing. Kat went and sat the brochures on the bed before she walked out and sat on the front porch and waited for Isaac to get back from wherever he'd spent the day. Melissa went to the kitchen to get started on dinner, hoping that someone would join her for a meal. Kat waited for an hour before deciding that it was enough time to leave Derek on his own before she quickly went inside and changed into her running gear.

“Kat?” Melissa questioned seeing her walking down the stairs changed and carrying a blanket.

“We'll be back later mom, I'm going to find Derek,” Kat said as she grabbed her car keys, phone and two bottles of water.

“I'll keep your dinner in the oven then, find him,” Melissa smiled before she quickly wrapped her arms around Kat and let her out the door.

“Don't worry mom, I will,” Kat answered before she was out the door and in her car heading towards the preserve. 

At the preserve Derek had headed in the direction of the lookout, there was a small cave that only a few people knew existed and that was where he was holed up. Derek sat on the ground of the cave, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. Occasionally Derek found himself rocking back and forth with his knees to his chest. Kat pulled up to the preserve and parked at the edge closest to the entrance, she contemplated driving to the old Hale House which Derek wanted to buy back off the city and rebuild. Kat switched her car off before climbing out and grabbing the empty backpack from the backseat and tossing the blanket, two bottles and her phone inside it. Standing up she shut the car door and locked it before putting her keys into the backpack and heading into the preserve. It took her fifteen minutes to find the cave again as the last time she'd been inside it she'd been a teenager. 

“Derek?” Kat questioned, she knew better than to go in especially if Derek was in a mood. “I'm coming in,”

“Go away Kat,” Derek mumbled, Kat sighed and went in anyway and crouched down in front of him. “I said go away,”

“And I told you that I wasn't going anywhere,” Kat told him before she was leaning forward and wrapping hers around him. “I meant it,” 

“I know...it's just...” Derek trailed off as Kat moved so that she was sitting beside him before she took off the backpack. 

“We don't have to go home just yet, but you can't sit here and freeze to death,” Kat told him, unzipping the backpack and pulling the blanket out before throwing it around his shoulders. “Come 'ere,” Derek shook his head but moved closer to her and wrapped the blanket around her too before his head on her shoulder. “Talk to me, in your time,”

“I can't do anything about it...and that makes me feel...” Derek said, glancing at Kat before he closed his eyes and felt her kiss him on the forehead. 

“You feel powerless?” Kat whispered, Derek put his head back on shoulder before she spoke to him again. “You're not alone,” Kat wrapped her arms around him as she turned slightly sideways.

Kat and Derek sat in the cave for another hour before it got darker and Kat was forced to get her phone out to use the torch to get them back to the car. Derek kept the blanket wrapped around his shoulders and pulled it tightly around him with one hand while holding Kat's hand with the other as they walked. Kat led Derek back to her car before he was climbing in and closing his eyes, the panic attack and subsequent freak out had worn him out even more. 

“We can talk tomorrow,” Kat said as she climbed in the car and started it up while putting her hand on Derek's. 

“Hrmphf,” Derek mumbled, squeezing Kat's hand before she reversed out of the car park and drove back to her mother's house. 

“Relax Der,” Kat said, the drive was quiet and quick as Derek had managed to fall asleep the second that Kat pulled into Melissa's driveway. When Derek didn't move, Kat sighed and climbed out of the car after switching it off. 

Just as Kat climbed out, Theo and Isaac pulled up in Theo's truck having spent another afternoon together. Kat motioned for both of them to help get Derek into the house, and inside. Isaac drew on Derek's pain before he and Theo carried him inside between the two of them. Kat smiled at them as they took him inside and straight up to Kat's room setting him on the bed. Theo noticed the papers that Kat had put on the bed and then looked at her, she shook her head.

“Not now Theo,” Kat smiled at him before she sat on the bed next to Derek and put the back of her hand on his forehead. “You felt that too?” 

“Yeah, how long has he had a fever for?” Theo questioned, running a hand through his hair as he sat on the bed. 

“On and off, you already know somethings wrong don't you?” Kat answered, looking to both of them as she grabbed the brochures and moved them to her bedside table. “You have to promise you won't say anything to Scott,” Theo and Isaac both nodded and looked at Derek.

“Kat, what did they say?” Isaac asked curiously as he sat on the floor and looked up at Kat and then at Theo and Derek as Derek stirred. 

“Kat...let me...” Derek mumbled sleepily as he cracked open one eye and looked at Theo and then Isaac. “I have cancer,” Derek's voice was almost inaudible as he told Isaac and Theo before he squeezed his eyes shut. 

“Is it...treatable?” Isaac asked, Derek nodded though he was still processing what he'd been told. 

“It's treatable, they want to start him as soon as possible,” Kat said, running a hand through her hair as she looked down at Derek and then at Isaac and Theo. “He doesn't want anyone to know, mom knows, and the three of us,”

Isaac launched himself at Kat and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Kat smiled at him and wrapped her arms around him hugging him back before she found herself crying a little. Theo and Isaac took that as their sign to leave but not before Theo quickly hugged Kat. Isaac walked Theo out before he was returning to the room and sitting on the bed where Theo had been. Isaac launched himself at Kat again and hugged while the two of them sat with Derek snoring beside them. 


End file.
